


Blue Skies and Burgundy Wings

by DarthDestiny



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Cannon-typical stuff, Depression, Dimitri Needs a Hug, F/M, I'm Bad At Tagging, Laguz, MC has serious issues, MC is a laguz, Not Beta Read, Rated M for later Chapters, Ravens, Self Esteem, Tellius Saga, and therapy, mainly revolves around the pairing, no beta we die like Glenn, that sort of thing, you know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:01:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26452270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarthDestiny/pseuds/DarthDestiny
Summary: Feeling alone and unnecessary, a hawk laguz leaves her home of Tellius and literally lands at Garreg Mach Monastery. She lends her strength to the knights until she hears of a certain event from four years ago. Knowing something similiar happened in her world, the laguz joins forces with the leader of the Blue Lions to expose the truth. Can she discover the truth and share it with her new friend, or will it only drive one mad?Basically an oc comes into the game and messes everything up. I'm not really proud of this work, but thought I should publish it anyway.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Gail has her own ask blog on tumblr! @ask-gail-laguz

Why should she bother staying here?

Nobody wanted her around. Nobody noticed the Hawk King’s younger sister trailing behind in his shadow. Nobody cared about her.

So why did it hurt to leave?

The woman sighed as she walked the empty halls of Castle Phoenicis, the place abandoned after the slaughter of her own people. Most of Phoenicis had joined the remnants of the Heron clan in Serenes Forest, forming the Bird Nation. The war was over, and peace had finally settled in Tellius for the first time in decades, if not centuries. She even had an important part in ending the war, so why did she feel so numb and empty?

Her echoing footsteps faded as she neared the opening to her left, a balcony that provided a breathtaking view of the sunset in the evenings. Spreading the wings on her back, the ones she had since birth, she took to the sky. The holes in the side of the mountain showed that many people had lived there, but the quiet whistle of the wind now spoke otherwise. There were only a few elderly folk left here, ones that refused to leave their homes in their old age.

_ “We were born here, and we’d rather die here.” _

Was she broken? She had never had that sentiment.

Landing in one of the holes on the mountain’s face, she folded her wings as she walked into her home. It wasn’t much, since her brother had moved away and their parents were long gone. All she had were a few books and magic tomes and a couple of the down cloaks she had made between the wars, nestled in the small living space.

“<My wings I must hide.>” The ancient language rolled off her tongue easily, thanks to the twenty years she spent with one of the Heron princes. With a flash of deep burgundy light, her wings vanished. Taking a deep breath and looking around her home for the final time, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. A woman, no more than twenty, started back at her with gold eyes. Beautiful brown hair hid the pointed ears of her people, the laguz. A deep green tunic was complemented with beige pants and black boots.

“<I seek a realm where I would be wanted. A world of hope and peace. I wish to leave this world, that is my heart’s desire! O Goddess, hear my plea!>”

The melody she had sung seemed to echo as a bright light engulfed her, a cold warmth seeping into her body. Something was pulling her, taking away what strength and energy she had. If she landed in the middle of someone’s battle, they would end her life without question.

What did it matter? She’d be out of the way now. She didn’t have anything left to lose, nothing but her life.

The light faded, and she collapsed onto the stone ground. As her consciousness faded, she noticed a mint-green haired woman in a white dress racing toward her.


	2. Chapter 1

The scent of medicine and old blood assaulted her sense of smell as she regained consciousness.

Opening her eyes and blinking a few times until they adjusted to the bright light, she realized she wasn’t anywhere near Phoenicis anymore. The air was different, speaking of many people. Where was she?

Before she sat up, she inspected herself for any injuries. Her wings were still hidden from the magic she had used. None of her limbs were broken, and nothing hurt. Satisfied with herself, she sat up, swung her legs to the side of the bed, and stood up with a yawn and stretch. Joints popped and cracked as she moved them, waking her even more.

At least this wasn’t a dream. She really had left Phoenicis, at least.

Footsteps sounded outside the room, and she tensed. Would this person be an ally or enemy?

“She should be awake soon, so stop complaining!” a female snapped.

“I want to talk to her when she does. Perhaps she can answer a few of my questions.” A male replied to the female, his voice speaking of wisdom and age.

“When she’s ready, I’ll send her over to you. I have a patient to check on.” The woman entered the room, stopping in shock when she saw her patient standing and alert. Her low-cut, thin-strapped green dress showed off her curvaceous body, despite the white overcoat she wore. “Oh, hello there.” When her greeting didn’t get a reply, she continued, “where are you from?”

Her own questions burning her mind, the laguz decided to ask them. “Where am I? Who are you?”

“I’m Manuela Casagranda, and you’re in the infirmary of Garrag Mach Monastery.” The woman closed the door behind her, probably to keep their conversation from reaching her male acquaintance. “What is your name?”

“Gail.” She hadn’t heard of a Garrag Mach Monastery, so this was certainly a new world.

“Just Gail?”

“Yes.”

“Where are you from, Gail?”

“A different world: Tellius. It’s fine if you haven’t heard of it; I left it to come here.” Gail crossed her arms, wary of this stranger.

“Why did you leave your home? Was it voluntary?” Manuela seemed too interested in the answer.

Gail stared at Manuela, her expression blank. An uncomfortable silence fell, and the priest shifted as she waited for an answer that wouldn’t come.

“Well, your arrival sparked the interest of a few people. I recommend you see the Archbishop first. She should be in the audience chamber. Just take a right when you leave, and it’s just a straight shot from there.” Manuela moved aside, opening the infirmary door.

“Thank you.” Gail uncrossed her arms as she walked out of the room. Turning to her right, she could see the woman in white ahead of her, speaking with a dark green haired man in blue. As she approached them, their conversation died and the woman smiled warmly. Something seemed … off about her. Her eyes showed she had seen much, despite her young appearance.

“Ah, welcome to Garrag Mach Monastery. I’m glad to see you’re well.” Were those lilies in her gold headdress? “I’m Lady Rhea, the Archbishop of the Church of Seiros. And who might you be?”

“Gail.” The laguz internally rolled her eyes. Yes, this ‘Lady Rhea’ was going to be one of those caring people with a dark side. When was her death going to take place? “And I came here for selfish reasons. I wasn’t happy back in my world.”

Lady Rhea seemed surprised at her statement. “Your world? Where is that?” The man beside her seemed wary, almost hostile, at the mention of a foreigner.

Gail fought back a sigh. She was going to have to explain this several times, wasn’t she? “I came from a world named Tellius.”

“Why were you unhappy?”

“I don’t wish to share that information, with all due respect.” Gail bowed, clenching her jaw. Nobody needed to know, and she wasn’t here to make friends.

“Why not? Are you a threat to the people here?” The man finally spoke, giving Gail a harsh glare.

“All I want is to expand my knowledge about people, or hide somewhere in the mountains.” Gail kept a neutral, almost bored expression. “I’ve no intention of harming anyone here.”

Lady Rhea seemed to ponder Gail’s answer. “If you’re seeking knowledge, this is the best place in all of Fódlan. The Monastery houses the students of the Officer’s Academy, as well as the Knights of Seiros. Since the school year has yet to begin, there shouldn’t be many issues if you wish to enroll.”

“Lady Rhea, are you certain about that? Accepting a stranger into the Academy? What house would she go into?" The man scowled at Gail. "What if she was a spy or assassin sent from another country to kill one of the students?"

"She has made her intentions clear, Seteth. I believe we can trust her." Lady Rhea gave her advisor a pointed look. "You don’t have to accept my offer right away. The dining hall will soon open for lunch, and I suspect you’d be hungry after sleeping for a few days.”

Gail nodded slowly. Her stomach was starting to voice its discomfort of being empty. “Thank you for your generous offer, Lady Rhea.”

Seteth was clearly reluctant to accept Gail as a guest. “I can give you a map of the monastery.” He turned and walked into an adjacent room, returning with a piece of parchment.

She took it, nodding her thanks as she turned and left. All she had to do was go down the nearby flight of stairs, take either a left or right, and take another left or right. Once onto the ground floor, she took a right. The stares she received weren’t anything new to her. Most people gawked at her when they first met her, anyway. It wasn’t often someone met a neutral hawk laguz. Even though she had hidden her wings from sight, she could feel curious eyes on her.

After passing through the building, Gail emerged into a small outside area, with small pathways branching off into different parts of the monastery. But she was hungry, and her destination was in the building ahead. Entering the building, she finally made it into the dining hall. Several white and red clad knights were sitting at a table, chatting away. A few teenagers were sitting together at another table, talking amongst themselves.

Gail sat by herself in a corner, far away from anyone. She wasn't here to make friends. If she stayed here, she would likely learn about this place. Maybe she could take some of her knowledge back home and finally get noticed ...

Gail returned to the audience chamber, leaving when she noticed the only occupant was one of the many devotees around the Monastery. She would return later, since Lady Rhea was likely preoccupied.

"There you are!" An older gentleman, likely some sort of well-learned noble, came up to her. "I assume you're the mysterious woman Manuela was treating?" Gail nodded, yelping in surprise as the gentleman grabbed her arm and half dragged her down the hall, toward the infirmary. Instead of taking the left, he went into the office on the right. "My apologies for being so rude. My name is Hanneman, and I'm a Crest scholar here. Now, would you hold your arm out over this device here?"

Gail obliged and did as directed. Almost immediately, it glowed and some symbol appeared.

Hanneman's eyes widened in shock. "I've never seen that Crest before! How exciting!" He picked up a book and quill, quickly drawing the symbol. "Tell me, do you know what it can do?"

"Um … no? I've never heard of Crests." Gail lowered her arm, tensing to run away.

Hanneman gaped at her incredulously. "Never heard of- nonsense! Everyone in Fódlan knows of the existence of Crests!"

Gail gnawed the inside of her cheek, wishing she hadn't run into this man. "But I'm not from Fódlan …" she whispered.

"Really? Where are you from?"

“Tellius.”

“And where is that?”

“It’s a different land from here. I doubt the same plane of existence, honestly.”

“And there aren’t any Crests there … how interesting! Tell me everything about your homeland.” Hanneman picked up a quill and his book, clearly ready to write everything down.

“Tellius has a long and complicated history, so I’d rather not. I will, however, tell you a quick version.

“In the beginning, there was the Goddess Ashunera. She created the world of Tellius and all the inhabitants. Her children, the Zuanma, were half-human, half-animal. As generations passed, some of the Zuanma lost their more animalistic features while the other refined their animal side. Due to their differences, they got into several fights. Upset that her children were fighting, Ashunera gave the races names. The humans were called beorc, and the half-animal humans were called laguz.

“Their new names only drove them to fight more. Ashunera, saddened by the constant fighting, began crying and flooded the world until one continent remained: Tellius. Appalled at her actions, Ashunera split herself in two. Her older half, Ashera, became the Goddess of Order. Her younger half, Yune, became the Goddess of Chaos.

“Ashera, believing Yune to be a problem, chose three heroes to kill the Goddess of Chaos: a female beorc named Altina, a dragon laguz named Dheginsea, and a lion laguz named Soen. Altina’s husband, a heron laguz named Lehran, knew that Yune was essential to the balance of Tellius. He convinced Ashera to instead seal Yune away. Ashera agreed, but only if the two races would not engage in war with each other. Yune was sealed, and Ashera fell into a deep sleep.

“800 years passed, and war had engulfed Tellius. The seal on Lehran’s medallion was broken, and Yune and Ashera were awake once more. Ashera, furious that her promise had been broken, turned most of Tellius to stone. The only ones who were spared were a few strong enough to resist and those in Yune’s presence. The two Goddesses fought each other again, and Ashera was slain. Yune released those affected by Ashera’s judgement, and Tellius entered a new era of peace. The end.”

Hanneman was scribbling furiously in his notebook. “How many species of laguz are there?”

“Three races. Dragons, beasts, and birds. Dragon and bird laguz have three different tribes, while the beast laguz have four different tribes.”

"What are the differences between each tribe?"

"What animal they are … and what color, in the dragon's case. The beast tribe consists of wolves, cats, tigers, and lions. The bird nation that was recently formed is home to the few hawk and heron laguz spared from massacre, and the remnants of the raven tribe. Dragons are separated between white, red, and black dragons."

“Were you turned to stone?”

“No, I was with Yune. She gave me her blessing to help in the fight against Ashera.”

Hanneman looked up at her with a knowing look. “Then that blessing is what I believe your Crest is.”

“I’m still not certain what a crest is.”

“Put simply, it’s a blessing from the goddess, passed down through the bloodline of the saints and elites. Do you mind if I call your Crest the Crest of Yune?”

“Not at all.”

“You simply must allow me to study you! I would love to see you fight. All crests have something to offer in combat. Although some do have … ill side-effects.”

“Like what?”

“Well, rumor has it that the Crest of the Beast can turn its wielders into beasts. And the Crest of Blayddid, the Faergusean royal family crest, usually gives its wielders unusual amounts of strength.”

“I haven’t noticed anything different in the past few months since the war of the Goddesses ended.”

“Will you allow me to study you in combat? Perhaps I can learn about your crest then.”

“I don’t see any reason to deny your request. Sure.”

"Splendid!"

Saying her goodbye, Gail returned to the audience chamber where Lady Rhea was waiting. “My apologies for my late arrival, Lady Rhea.” She bowed once she had gotten close enough for a conversation with the Archbishop. “The Crest Scholar named Hanneman stopped me after lunch and wanted to talk.”

“It’s fine, Gail.” Lady Rhea smiled that same warm smile. Gail had to admit, it was comforting. “I assume you’re here to talk to me about something?”

“Yes, I am.” Gail glanced over at Seteth, who was practically scowling at her. “If it’s not too much to ask, I would like to stay here and learn about your magic. In return for allowing me to stay here, I would be willing to offer my services as a mercenary or soldier. I’ve fought countless bandits and soldiers in the two major wars I was involved in.”

Lady Rhea seemed surprised at the laguz’s experience. “You look younger than you sound. Is there a reason for that?”

“Laguz, what I am, age differently than beorc, what you are.” Or pretend to be.

“And how exactly are you different from us?” Seteth inquired.

Gail sighed, knowing she’d have to stop the magic concealing her wings. “Laguz and beorc didn’t have the best relationship until the recent war ended. The two had a pair of slurs that mocked the other’s race: human and sub-human. The beorc considered the laguz to be less than human due to their animal side.” As she explained, she released her burgundy wings. Folded close to her back, the feathered limbs were still very large. Her feathertips reached down to her calves, leaving little room between them and the tiled floor. “I’m a bird laguz. As such, I have wings that allow me to fly through the air.”

“And how do you fight?” Seteth remained hostile.

“I don’t fight using your beorc weapons.” Gail held up her hand and picked some dirt under her nail. “If you allow me to fight alongside you, you will learn that a hawk laguz shouldn’t be underestimated.”

Lady Rhea nodded at Seteth. “If you’re as strong as you claim to be, then you would be a valuable ally to our ranks. We already have several strong and capable knights, but none of them are stronger than Seteth.” Seteth looked at Gail, sizing her up.

Gail disagreed silently. She could easily knock this scrawny bishop off his feet with less effort than it would take to snap a twig in her talons. “Then we should find out. I’m ready to fight whenever you are, Seteth.”

The green-haired man held up a hand. “Before we agree to this, we should set out the conditions of battle and the results of the outcome. And inform the healers that we’re going to fight.” Once he had Gail’s consent, he continued.

“I will hold nothing back. If my Crest of Cichol activates and I land a blow on you, the fight will end. You will not join the Knights of Seiros as an honorary knight, but you will be allowed to stay here for the school year at the Officer’s Academy.”

“And I will do my best not to tear you into scraps of meat. Hanneman will observe this battle, and if I somehow have a Crest, the same condition will remain. I hit you, the fight ends. I join the Knights and will begin my studies here.”

Lady Rhea nodded as they set the conditions of victory. “I look forward to learning about you and your people, Gail.”


	3. Chapter 2

As Gail stood waiting for Seteth, she stretched her wings. Examining them, she pulled a few old feathers off and pocketed them. No matter where she went, people would pay decent money for a down cloak in the cold months.

A shadow fell over her, and the brunette watched a wyvern land in the field. Sitting atop the beast was Seteth, a lance in his hand. “I hope you weren’t thinking this would be easy.”

Gail smirked. “Perhaps we should change this to an aerial fight. Both of us are comfortable in the sky, after all.” When Seteth agreed, she took wing to the sky.

One of the knights, an older man with brown hair, had come to judge the fight. He signaled for the battle to begin, and Seteth wasted no time.

Dodging his lance thrusts with ease, Gail danced around the wyvern knight. This was child’s play compared to what she had fought before! A blow grazed her wing, breaking the skin and allowing blood to trickle down one of her feathers. Locking eyes with Seteth, she saw raw determination fill them as he continued his assault. She was narrowly avoiding the heavier blows, but Seteth did land a couple. Frustrated with this beorc’s persistent attacks, she dove down. Out of Seteth’s range, Gail transformed in a burst of deep burgundy light. With the light still trailing behind her, she soared up. Letting out an ear-splitting shriek, the hawk dove straight for Seteth.

Now on the defensive, Seteth was barely blocking Gail’s sharp talons as she attacked relentlessly. Soaring away as quickly as she attacked, Gail shrieked again and dove for the rider. Feeling Yune’s blessing course through her body, the hawk knocked the rider off his wyvern, sending him plummeting to his death.

Without a morsel of hesitation, Gail dove for him again. Panicked shouts and screams sounded below as the hawk extended her talons as she grew closer to the rider. Grasping his flailing arm, she reached for his other and slowed his sudden descent considerably.

Back on the ground, Gail reverted to her human state and tried to apologize. “Seteth, I-”

“That was very impressive. I accept defeat.” Seteth offered his hand to Gail. “I’ve never seen your Crest before. What is it?”

As if he heard the magic word, Hanneman came running up to the two. Huffing for breath, he turned to Gail. “I’ve never seen a Crest do that before!”

"Perhaps it’s due to your animal side, but nobody has ever come close to knocking Seteth off his wyvern!” The knight overseeing their battle grinned. “And since you hit him with a Crest attack, you win this sparring session!” He slapped Gail on the back.

Seteth called his wyvern, a young woman with light green hair coming up to him. "Brother! Are you alright? Oh, no. You've got some scratches! Let me heal them before they get infected."

"Gail, this is my younger sister, Flayn." Seteth explained her relationship to him as she worked.

Watching the healer perform the needed spells without a staff only deepened Gail's curiosity. What magic did they have here in Fòdlan? "Pardon my question, but how are you able to use healing magic without a staff?"

Flayn stared at Gail quizzically. "I'm not sure what you're asking. Healing magic doesn't require a staff."

"In my previous experience, healers have always needed a staff to heal someone with magic."

"We don't need them here in Fòdlan." Flayn shifted her attention to the laguz. "I see my brother landed some blows on you, too."

"They're nothing. I've had far worse than these scratches." Gail made to leave, but Flayn quickly healed her minor scrapes. "I … um, thanks."

As things wrapped up, Gail returned to the Monastery with the other members of the Church of Serios. Flayn was thrilled to hear that Gail enjoyed eating fish. With a mental promise to surprise the young healer with a popular dish from Phoenicis, Gail joined her in the dining hall. Sharing a meal with her new allies, many questions were exchanged.

"Hey there." A blonde woman grinned. "Where are you from?"

"Tellius." At the looks of confusion, Gail sighed. This was going to be a long meal. "It's a land in a different realm." Explaining laguz for the third time that day, Gail was getting tired of it.

"I saw you fight Seteth. Why didn't you use any weapons?" The woman sitting next to the blonde woman asked. She had short black hair.

"It's considered dishonorable for a laguz to fight with beorc weapons. Our natural weapons in animal form are stronger and never break beyond use."

"Do you have any family?" Alo is asked.

"My brother."

"No parents?"

"They died several years ago."

An uneasy silence fell over the table, until the blonde broke it. "My name's Katherine."

"I'm Shamir, a mercenary who is working for the Knights." The dark haired woman supplied her name as well.

"Gail." She stood up, making to leave the knights.

"Gail, wait!" Flayn rushed to join her new friend. "I'll show you where the Monastery staff sleep."

"Ah, that would be appreciated." Gail followed Flayn to the east side of the Monastery. Across the stables were the staff quarters, and Flayn led her to a room on the end. "You're right across from me!" She beamed. "There might be a new face in a few days. Professor David retired after the students graduated, and a new professor is coming to take his place."

"I see." Gail looked into her new room, noting the large bed. "Oh, good. I don't sleep like a bird."

"I'll leave you to settle in. I'm right across the hallway if you need anything!" Flayn left the laguz alone.

The brunette closed the door and sat on the bed, sighing in relief at the solitude. She preferred to be alone, not gawked at like some new creature.

Digging out the downy feathers she had picked from her wings, Gail set them on the dresser. She would have to ask if she could use a bag or basket to put them in as she collected her molting feathers. It was clear that spring had already arrived, and she'd be a disheveled mess until the weather warmed considerably.

Thanking the Goddess she only moulted once a year, Gail settled herself under the covers of the bed.

~*~*~

"You may be good in the air, but there are places where you'll be confined to the ground. Come at me with your best punch."

The blonde knight, a noble named Katherine, held up her hands in a clear defensive position. Gail advanced, swinging a fist at Katherine's head. The blonde dodged, retaliating with her own blow to Gail's torso. Gail grasped Katherine's arm and threw the knight onto the sandy floor, planting herself on top of the knight's torso and preventing escape. "Give up?"

"Best two of three!"

Gail grunted when Catherine landed a blow to her stomach, but she had given her own blow to the knight. As Catherine doubled over as her breath was knocked out of her, Gail brought her laced fists down on the back of the knight's neck. Catherina fell to the sandy floor, chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. "Bested you two out of three. I'll be in the library if you need me."

Gail met another young knight on her way. Remembering that Shamir had mentioned having an apprentice, she assumed the dark-skinned young man was that apprentice. Nodding her acknowledgement, she continued to the stairs.

“Hey!” he called as she walked past him. When she turned to face him, he held up one of her molted feathers. “Try to keep your feathers on, will ya?”

Gail held out her hand for it, pocketing the downy feather. “My apologies, but I can’t help it. I will, however, try to keep my feathers from going everywhere.”

“Good. I work very hard to keep this place clean, ya know. For Lady Rhea.”

“I see. If you need any help getting the places higher up, let me know.” Gail walked off, finally arriving at the library. With a sigh, she started looking through the books to find anything on magic. Once she had found a tome, she sat down at one of the tables to read.

Gail continued to spend her time in the library, studying Fódlan’s magic. She had asked the librarian, Thomas, a question. Once she had her answer, she decided to avoid him. Her animal instinct was screaming that he was dangerous.

After a couple weeks of studying, Gail felt confident enough to try a spell. Hanneman had volunteered to be her practice partner, much to her surprise. He was a professor of the Officers’ Academy, and was busy preparing his lessons for the new students that had started to arrive. In a week or two, their academy would begin its school year.

The night after she had successfully cast a basic fire spell, Gail found it hard to fall asleep. The wind outside howled as plants bent and swayed from the force. A storm was coming, a strong one from the winds preceding it. Tossing and turning, the hawk laguz didn’t get much sleep.

Emerging from her room and seeing the heavy rains, Gail grabbed a cloak and held it over her as she made her way to the dining hall for breakfast. On her way, she noticed a black lump on the stone path, not far off her way. As she approached, the lump moved. It chirped!

Rushing toward the soaked bird, Gail scooped the black bird into her hand. Its black eyes stared at her, scared and hungry. Rushing into the dining hall, she used her cloak to dry it off as best as she could. Setting the cloak on her usual spot, she set the bird on it and left for breakfast. Coming back, she sat down and tore off a piece of ham.

The bird downed the scrap greedily, opening its mouth for more. Gail obliged and fed it another morsel. Satisfied, the bird stared at her with curiosity.

“Heh, I know, I’m not like beorc.” Gail chuckled as someone approached her. “But you can rely on me, okay?”

“Is that a baby bird?” a red-headed student asked. “Where’d you get it?”

“Found it on the ground. Poor thing was blown from its nest.” Gail looked at the student. “Figured I’d look for its parents after the storm passes.”

“Do you know what kind of bird it is?” the student pressed.

“Of course I do. He’s a raven.”

“Woah … Hey, Felix, come look at this baby raven! He looks like you!” As soon as the student called out to his friend, a crowd gathered around the laguz and the hatchling.

Gail quickly finished her breakfast and scooped the bird up. “Excuse me, but I have things I must attend to.” She pushed her way out of the crowd, glaring at the shady dark mage staring after her as she left. That aura was sinister, someone to be avoided at all costs.

Keeping her promise of looking for the parents after the storm passed, Gail scoured the Monastery for any sign of a raven nest. Her nation, Phoenicis, had been neighbors with the Ravens of Kilvas. Despite the obvious differences between a laguz and an animal, Gail had seen several ravens making nests on the cliff sides of both Phoenicis and Kilvas each year.

Giving up her fruitless search, Gail sighed and sat on the edge of the fishing pond with the raven hatchling in her lap. Absently feeding it a table scrap, she half-closed her eyes. She didn’t take her hand back once her friend had taken his food, and he nipped at her fingers. “Ow! Hey, didn’t anyone tell you not to bite the hand that feeds you?”

The raven stared at her, offended. Hopping closer to her hand, he continued to playfully nip at her. She chuckled and indulged him for a few minutes. “Alright, that’s enough. I have things I need to do.” Setting him on her shoulder, Gail stood up and proceeded to do her rounds. Each day, she cared for the hatchling as it continued to grow. It wasn’t long before the hatchling started flapping its wings, preparing to fly.

It was on one of those days when Alois approached the laguz with an assignment. “There you are, Gail! I have a mission for you.” Gail looked at the knight expectantly, stroking the raven’s feathers gently. “I need you to accompany Professor Marcus and the students to his class outside the Monastery. I’d send one of the other knights, but with the recent uprisings, we’re shorthanded.”

“Understood. I’ll do my best, I suppose. What could possibly happen to a bunch of pampered noble brats under the guidance of the new professor?” Gail rolled her eyes as the raven hopped onto her shoulder. “Don’t worry. They’ll be safe under my wings.”

Alois slapped her on the back as she left. “That’s the spirit! I’ll see you tonight at dinner!”

Gail laughed at his cheerfulness. “Save me something barely cooked and big!” Meeting the skinny professor, she explained what her mission was to him. He seemed nervous, but she did her best to reassure him.

Taking the back of the large group, Gail kept an eye on her surroundings. There were several nobles in this year’s class, and each of the houses had their respective leaders that would one day rule their nations. She could easily pick the three out in the crowd; they were easy to spot from the rest.

The heir to the Adrestian Empire, Edelgard. Her white hair swayed with each step, her violet eyes constantly judging and calculating. She was the head of the Black Eagle house, the red cape hanging from her left shoulder.

The Crown Prince of the Holy Kingdom of Faergus, Dimitri. Gail had met him several times in the knight’s hall and training grounds. He was a strong fighter, but those blue eyes hid a troubled past. His blonde hair was stringy, as if he hadn’t the time to wash it in a while. He was the head of the Blue Lions, and his blue cape hung from the left shoulder as well.

Finally, Gail turned her attention to the hair to the Leicester Alliance, Claude. Those brown eyes sparkled with mischief and knowledge, a clear warning to keep an eye on him. He was suddenly announced as the heir to House Regian a year ago, and he certainly didn’t have any physical features like his house members. He wore a cape of golden yellow, signifying the Golden Deer house.

Once Marcus had led the students to where they would be training, Gail frowned. There were too many trees around, hindering their fighting skills. If this was some sort of ambush-

She needed to relax. That was the thinking of a soldier, a commander. She was just a knight here, a mercenary with no reason to believe an attack could happen at any minute. Her raven nipped at her ear, and she chuckled. “Alright, Luka. Show me you can fly on your own.”

Keeping an eye on the professor, Gail observed the black bird. Luka had shown dramatic improvement since the beginning of the week. It wasn’t long before Gail noticed she couldn’t see Marcus. Looking around, she searched for the timid man. A scream caught her attention, and Gail raced toward the source. A man, clearly armed and ready to kill, was thrown aside by a blast of ominous magic. The girl he had startled was already running away.

“Everyone, back to the Monastery! We’re under attack!” Gail rolled her eyes when someone rushed toward her. Easily sidestepping the slow swing of an axe, she gave the bandit a punch to the face, breaking his nose and burying it inside his skull. He didn’t move afterwards.

The students were panicked, unprepared for this situation. Marcus was nowhere to be seen, and the only leader they had to rely on was-

“Retreat to the Monastery! I’ll hold these bastards off!” Gail ordered, casting a fireball to the sky. With any luck, that would attract the attention of a few knights or bandits. Gail knew she could rout these weak beorc with ease.

As the students raced past her in a panic, Gail readied herself to fight. Her blood racing, heart pounding, she felt more alive than she had in weeks! Taking to the air, she transformed and took out a bandit that had come to investigate the magic blast. He fell to her talons, his allies joining him soon after. Satisfied that the students had followed her order and fled, she returned to the Monastery. The students were huddled in classes, several shaken by their experience. A quick survey of the students turned her blood to ice.

Where were the house leaders?!

“Alois!” Gail nearly shrieked as she raced to the dining hall. Sure enough, the knight was sitting at a table. “We were attacked by bandits, and I can’t find the house leaders or Professor Marcus!”

Alois sprang into action, rounding up a small group of reserve knights. “Go and calm the students. After what happened, they’ll need a strong knight to reassure them of their safety.”

“With any luck, the house leaders are fine. They’re capable of defending themselves.” Gail didn’t stay with her commander for long. She had orders to follow.

Checking on the closest group, the Golden Deer, Gail assured the more shaken ones that they were safe now. The ones that concerned her most were a green-haired boy with glasses and a blue-haired young woman who didn’t say much.

The next group weren’t as shaken as the others. The Blue Lion class had been raised to fight from a young age, or so the rumors went. The only one that seemed slightly shaken was a gray haired male with green eyes. A quick stroke of Luka’s feathers calmed him down.

A little farther from the class was a dark-skinned man with white hair. Gail approached him warily. “Are you alright?”

He looked at her, clearly concerned. “I have not seen his highness return. Have you seen him?”

“It appears they were separated.” Yes, this student was close to Dimitri. He rarely seemed to leave the prince’s side. “There’s no need to worry for his safety. I know he can protect himself from the bandits, and we have knights looking for him.”

He turned away from her with a faint nod. When she didn’t move on, he shook his head. “It is best if you limit your interactions with me. Rumors will spread about our conversations.”

“Then let them talk. If you need someone to talk to about being an outcast, different, or shunned due to your place of birth, I’ve got an ear to listen.” Gail walked past him, fluffing her wings to emphasize her point.

The last house, the Black Eagles, were being reassured by the shady mage she had seen around Edelgard. An oranged haired noble was assisting him.

The only one ignored was the skittish student from earlier. Gail ushered Luka onto her hand, crouching down to the violet-haired girl’s level. Saying no words, she offered the animal’s comfort to the terrified girl. Luka immediately hopped onto the girl’s knee, gently pecking at the girl’s sleeve.

Seeing the question in her eyes, Gail nodded. The student shakily raised her hand, gingerly touching the raven’s head. Cawing softly, Luka ‘purred’ as the girl pet him.

“Don’t worry about finding me when you’re better. Luka will find me when you’re ready.” Gail straightened herself and sent the students to dinner. At the very least, they needed to eat. It was late, and Gail was thankful for the lights around the grounds. She avoided the outdoors at night because she couldn’t see well in the dark.

Before she relieved her hunger, Gail had one last thing she needed to do: tell Lady Rhea and Seteth what happened. They seemed concerned about the missing leaders, but knew there was nothing more they could do than wait for the knights to return.

Gail didn’t sleep at all that night, pacing in front of the empty stalls of the market next to the gates. She had failed her orders to keep the students safe. The most important, the house leaders, had been separated from the group, and it was all her fault! She should have been more attentive! If she hadn’t been so focused on Luka’s fledging, she could have prevented this attack from happening!

It was well past morning when Gail finally saw the knights approaching the monastery. The house leaders were with them, along with what appeared to be a company of mercenaries. At least they were safe. Lady Rhea needed to know. Once she had relayed the information, Gail retreated to her room. Luka was waiting expectantly on her bed, flying to her lap once she sat down at her desk.

A knock sounded on her door, and Gail marked her place in the volume of magic she had borrowed from the library. “What is it?”

“The captain wants to meet you. And talk to you about last night.” The knight behind the door sounded tired.

“The captain, huh? Didn’t know we had one. Alright, where is he?” Gail ushered Luka onto her shoulder as she stood up.

“The knight’s hall. Best not to keep him waiting too long.”

“Understood.” Gail walked to the knight’s hall, expecting to see some angry old man waiting for her. Luka sensed her anxiety and nibbled on her ear in an effort to distract her. “You’d probably scare him. I’ll be fine. If things get bad, I’ll leave.”

Luka seemed to understand and flew off.

The captain wasn’t anything she was expecting. A man, no older than forty-five, was standing in the middle of the hall’s sandy pit. He watched her with surprised brown eyes. “I didn’t expect to see an actual person. I thought you were a bird, from how Alois described you.”

“My punishment, sir?” Gail skipped past introductions and went straight to the point. “For failing to keep the students safe?”

“Punishment?” The captain was even more surprised at her suggestion. “From what I heard, you made certain that the students were safe from harm once you were ambushed. They attacked with a plan, and luckily for those brats, we were nearby.”

“If I had been more attentive--” Gail started.

The captain cut her off. “If you had been more attentive, this still would have happened. But I can see you’re not satisfied with that. For the consequences of your actions, you’ll have to fight me.” He brandished a lance, swinging it at her without a moment’s notice.

Her battle experience kicked in, and Gail jumped back to dodge the sharp point. Keeping an eye on her opponent, Gail retreated from the building and took to the air. This didn’t seem to phase the captain, as he used the long shaft of the lance to his advantage to attempt to swipe her from the air. When that didn’t work, he threw it at her. The point nicked her shin.

As he raced to arm himself again, Gail saw her chance. Diving down, she transformed and ended the fight by pinning the man to the ground, trapping him between the stone and her talons.

The man seemed shocked by her sudden transformation, as did a couple of the passing students. “Well, I wasn’t expecting that. I yield.” Once the large burgundy hawk got off him and reverted to her human form, he stood up with a chuckle. “You’re strong and have seen several battles. I’m glad you’re on our side. Welcome to the Knights of Seiros, Gail.” He offered his hand to her.

Gail took it and shook it. “Glad to be of service, captain. If you need any aerial support, I’m more than willing to help.”

“You don’t have to call me captain all the time, though.” The blonde man took his hand back when she released it. “Just Jeralt’s fine.”

“Understood, Ca-er, Jeralt.”


	4. Chapter 3

“Excuse me?”

Gail turned to face the woman approaching her. It was Byleth, Jeralt’s daughter. “What is it?”

“Which house do you belong in?”

“I’m not a student. I’m a mercenary, working for the Knights. If you need anything, let me know.” Gail whistled, and Luka came to perch on her arm, moving to her shoulder. “Luka and I will do what we can.”

“You have a raven?” Byleth’s emotionless eyes widened ever so slightly, her teal eyebrows raising a hair. “How unusual.”

“I’ve tried to get him to leave, but he insists on staying with me. He’s quite friendly, compared to his wild brethren. Say hello, Luka.” Luka stared at Byleth for a second before he cawed softly in greeting. It almost sounded like ‘hello’.

“I look forward to seeing you around … um …”

“Gail. I’m a hawk laguz.” Her wings were proof of her race, one unheard of in Fódlan. “I’m looking forward to assisting you in battle.”

Later that day, while Byleth was talking to Lady Rhea and the other professors, Jeralt found the laguz.

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“Then talk. I’m listening.” Gail ducked her head behind her back, preening herself.

“What do you think of the Church of Seiros?”

Gail straightened up, her strong beak mere inches away from his head. “If you wanted to ask questions, you could have just said so.” Fluffing out her feathers, she reverted back to her human form. “My thoughts of the Church? I don’t believe or deny it. I’ve met two goddesses. Assisted in slaying one. Blessed by the other. Doesn’t surprise me there are other goddesses worshipped in other lands.”

Jeralt nodded, motioning for her to walk with him. “I see. And what have you been through, exactly?”

“Two wars. Both ravaged the continent. Discrimination because humans think I’m an animal. Constantly overshadowed by my older brother.” Gail shrugged as if she had just mentioned the weather. “Why do you ask?”

“Do you talk to Archbishop Rhea?”

“Not really. Most of the time, I just do my own thing.”

“How well do you follow orders?”

“Fairly well. If I have a question, I follow my instinct to answer it.”

“Then I have an assignment for you.”

Jeralt stopped and faced her. They had stopped close to the classrooms, devoid of students. A spring breeze wafted through the hollowed courtyard. “I want you to stay close to Byleth. Assist her in anything she asks of you. And if anyone gives you a different order, tell them that it’s overruled by me.”

“You want me to protect your daughter from the Church.” Gail crossed her arms, annoyed by his questions.

“That’s not what I’m asking you to do. Will you make sure Byleth is safe during her missions? And you might as well keep the brats safe, too.”

“Oh, so you’re asking me now?”

“Yes. You don’t have to make your decision now. But I would appreciate an answer soon.”

“Understood.” Gail watched Jeralt walk away, leaving her standing on the edge of the courtyard. What had she just gotten herself into?

~*~*~

“Gail, can you get some training weapons for the class to use in the practical lesson this afternoon?”

“Sure.”

“Thanks.” Byleth finally looked up from her lesson plans to the laguz. “You should take the rest of the day off. You’ve been working nonstop all week.”

“So have you. The mock battle isn’t anything serious. Why are you worrying about it so much?” Gail sat down in the chair next to the teal-haired professor.

“It’s my first assignment as a professor. The other two have more experience than I do leading others into battle.”

“That’s true, but you’ve seen more battles than they have. In that regard, you have more experience.”

“Perhaps you can help me with this strategy, then.” Byleth had a diagram drawn out. “The two classes we’re facing will be here and here. I’m only allowed to take four students into battle with me, so we’re outnumbered. I doubt the classes will fight each other, focusing on ours first.”

Gail pondered the situation for a minute. “I’d use the student with the best defense to lure out the Golden Deer first. Bring them out of the forest and pick them off. It’s hard to ambush a class already prepared to attack. Once you’ve eliminated the Deer, take out the Black Eagles.”

“But what if the opposing classes decide to strike first?”

“I’d have the ranged students in the back, then the melee ones in front. Have a mage or archer weaken or pick off the weak students, then push back. Make sure you’ve got enough healing supplies or healer on your team.”

“I see. Thank you.” Byleth quickly jotted down Gail’s offered strategies as the laguz made her way to the market.

Slinging the bag of training weapons to use over her shoulder, Gail slowed her walk down to look at the merchants’ goods as she passed. She had been down here several times, and now she had the money to purchase a scarf that had caught her eye recently. However, fate had other designs. That fabric merchant wasn’t there today. Her stall had been taken by another merchant selling books.

At dinner, her usual spot was not so quiet. The students had noticed that she was spending time with their professor, and it was obvious they wanted to learn about the mercenary-knight.

“What was your homeland like?”

The young man who had asked the question, Dedue, if Gail recalled, was almost drowned out by the others. She held up her hand, halting the flow of inquiries. “Phoenicis is one of the two mountain nations of Tellius, the other being Kilvas. Most of the laguz living in the mountains have moved to Serenes Forest to live with our wing-brothers as the Bird Nation.”

“There are other laguz like you?” A blonde-haired young woman asked.

“Yes. There are three different species of laguz: dragon, beast, and bird. The dragon laguz live in Goldoa, bordered by mountains. Most of the beast laguz live in Gallia, just north of Goldoa. The feline tribes live there, and there were rumors that the Hatari might cross the Desert of Death to live in Gallia.”

“Desert of Death? Sounds like a terrible place to live.” The redhead from before grimaced. “So, who’s considered the most beautiful of the laguz?”

“The herons, easily. The royal family has wings that are pure white, like freshly fallen snow. Their blonde hair is like gold, and their singing  _ is _ magic. They’re practitioners of Sied magic, arcane songs that offer different outcomes based on the lyrics and tone.”

An orange-haired young woman lit up. “Do you know any of those songs?”

“Yes, but they hold no magical properties unless sung by a royal heron. Besides, there are none that are combat-oriented. The Heron laguz are peaceful, never engaging in fights.”

A silence fell, and Gail took the opportunity to inhale as much of her dinner as she could. She had almost finished and was planning to retreat to her room for the evening when Dimitri asked the inevitable question.

“When is your birthday? And what do you like?”

She nearly inhaled her drink, hastily swallowing the liquid. “Ah, the fourteenth of the fifth month. Or so my aunt told me. Laguz don’t really celebrate birthdays.”

It seemed as if the entire dining hall went silent at her statement. The students around her were gaping at her like fish.

“What? It’s true.” Gail gulped down the last scraps of food and left before they could pester her with more questions. Her growing feathers weren’t helping with her mood, either. She needed to preen herself, but nobody let her have the time to!

But then again, she was also to blame. Gail had neglected herself when the school year started. Perhaps she should ask for a day off, or an evening.

The mock battle came and went, bolstering the spirits of the Blue Lions students. The next week was uneventful, until Byleth informed her students of the month's assignment. They were to attack the bandits that attacked them a couple weeks prior. And some of Byleth’s students weren’t prepared for real life-or-death combat.

“Professor Byleth.” Gail approached the professor after class had let out for the day. “I’ve noticed a few of your students don’t seem as comfortable with combat than others. Would you like my assistance?”

Byleth seemed relieved, but it was hard to tell with those numb eyes. “Yes, that’d be great.”

As it turned out, Byleth misunderstood Gail’s offer. While the professor was giving three students a few extra lessons, Gail was stuck keeping an eye on the childhood friends of Faergus and Dedue. The students she was keeping an eye on were training with each other.

Once they finished their little session, Gail cleared her throat. “If I may offer some pointers?” Getting their attention, she gave them advice on stance and technique. The indigo-haired young man seemed skeptical of the instructions.

“And why are you helping us?” he suddenly asked.

“I thought you’d like to learn some new forms from Tellius, but if you’re not interested in furthering your skills for survival ....” Gail sighed, shaking her head. “Don’t blame your death on me.”

“Thank you. For helping us, I mean.” Dimitri nodded in sincerity. “Anything to help us get stronger.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Gail saw his sudden attack coming from a mile away. She barely moved to the side and grasped his lance, pulling him closer to her. Staring at his blue eyes, she wordlessly elbowed him in the gut and let go of the weapon as he reeled back from the blow. He fell to the ground, sitting up with a look of respect.

“You’re strong.” The crown prince returned to his feet. “But not as strong as the rumors say!” He charged toward her again, clearly intending to keep attacking.

The laguz held her ground, clenching her jaw as the blunt weapon struck her chest. Once again, she gave the prince a blow to his chest, forcing him back slightly. Seizing the chance, she tackled him to the ground. Instinctively, she reached for the knife she kept in her boot, pressing the unsharpened metal edge against his throat. “Don’t let your guard down after you attack your opponent. In a fight to the death, that would leave you a corpse.” Sheathing her knife, she got off him and held out her hand. He took it as he pulled himself to his feet. “Want to try again?”

“I’ve heard you can transform into a large bird.” Dimitri gave her a determined stare. “I want to fight you at full strength. I won’t hold back.”

“Then don’t blame me when I shred you, your highness.” Gail transformed, acutely aware of the limited space she was given in the arena. But she had fought in tighter spaces in the wars. Dimitri had exchanged the training lance for an iron one. He lashed out at her, and she dodged it with ease. She allowed him to continue his offense, feeling the familiar sting of a lance piercing her skin. Shrugging the pain off like she always did, she lunged at him with talons extended. He braced for her attack, but it never happened.

Opening his eyes, he saw those razor-sharp talons directly in front of his face. The giant bird had the perfect opportunity to kill him, but didn’t take it.

Gail landed in front of him, reverting back. “Didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“No, but he got you.” The blonde from before stated, gesturing to her leg.

Gail looked down, unsurprised to see a minor scratch on her outer thigh. “Eh, I’ll be fine. I’ve had far worse.” Although she did put her hand on it to slow the bleeding. “Did that satisfy your urge to fight, or do you want to go another round?”

Dimitri shook his head. “You’ve proven yourself a strong fighter. I’m honored to have such a strong ally.”

“Ally, huh? Whatever you want to believe.” Gail reached for the small pouch she kept with her at all times, pulling out a vulnerary and applying the salve to her wound. “Alright, back to practice.”

The days after the mock battle passed by in a blur. Jeralt approached Gail one evening and cleared his throat. “I’d like you to do some reconnaissance. Their base is somewhere in Zanado, the Red Canyon.” The captain pointed to a place close to Garrag Mach on the map. “We don’t know their numbers, either.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll find them and report back.” Gail stretched as she turned to leave.

“And one more thing.” Jeralt handed her a box. “From us.”

Gail took it with a raised eyebrow. “Us? Ah, you must mean you and Byleth. Got it.”

“Happy birthday.”

Gail almost dropped the box. “Wh-how-I-ah, thanks? I suppose you want me to open it, huh.” It was pretty lightweight, and whatever it contained wasn’t anything big. Perhaps it was something edible. Or a new pouch. She could use one. Lifting the lid off the plain box, Gail pulled out a strip of blue fabric.

“It’s a scarf. Something to show which house you’re helping. Or something like that. It was Byleth’s idea. I just purchased it.” Jeralt was as uncomfortable as Gail was.

Putting it on, Gail crossed it in front of her neck before tossing the long ends of the scarf over her shoulders. “Thanks. Let Byleth know I liked it. Just in case I don’t come back.” Gail finally made her way outside and took to the skies, transforming into her animal form as she climbed through the air.


	5. Chapter 4

“Ah, Gail!”

The brunette laguz turned around to face the approaching professor. “Professor Hanneman, is there something you need?”

“I was hoping I’d see you. A couple students of mine would like to learn brawling. I’ve heard you’re one of the best people to ask here.” Hanneman stopped in front of her. “Would you consider helping me with teaching the students brawling?”

“Yeah, sure. Sounds good. When do you want me to help you out?”

“After lunch tomorrow would be splendid.”

“Yeah, I can do that.”

The following day, news of the laguz’s lesson in brawling had spread. When Gail showed up to the training hall, she blinked in surprise at the gathering of students. She wasn’t expecting to see more than the original student from the Golden Deer house and maybe another student. Instead, she was greeted by three students and two knights.

Doing her best to stay on topic and focused, Gail somehow managed to get through the lesson. Afterwards, the students from the Golden Deer and black Eagle houses came up to her.

“Will you hold another lesson tomorrow?” The light blue haired student asked his question first.

“Yeah, I want to get stronger!” the blonde male added.

“If it’s alright with the staff, sure.” Gail shrugged, indifferent to the consequences. “I’ll ask them about it and get back with you by dinner.”

True to her word, the laguz had asked about holding the afternoon class. With permission from Seteth and Jeralt, the weekly classes were approved. The brunette laguz told the students about the approval, and word spread like wildfire. By dinnertime, the dining hall was ablaze with the word that the laguz was holding a class.

“What will you be teaching?” Professor Manuela sat next to the laguz.

“Perhaps something to do with your crest?” Professor Hanneman was quick to join in on the conversation.

“Or maybe she’ll show us some awesome moves to win any fight!” The blue-haired student from before added to the ever-growing group.

“I actually hadn’t thought of it. Whatever the students want, I guess. I’ll send out a survey tomorrow and collect it at the end of the week. I’m fairly good at ‘winging’ it.” Gail let a little joke slip she had heard several soldiers in the war talk about.

A few students rolled their eyes, or shook their heads in exasperation. Although she did hear a quiet chuckle among the crowd.

“Enough of that. You heard my plan, now are you going to let your food go cold? I’m certain Luka would enjoy a few extra scraps like the glutton he is.” Luka cawed as he hopped onto the table to steal from her plate. Gail offered the raven a piece he had been eyeing. “Thank you for proving my point, Luka.”

The following weekend, Gail picked up the parchment she had written her survey on. She was sitting in her room as she went over the results when someone knocked on her door. “It’s not locked.”

Byleth entered her room. “O-oh, Gail, I wanted to talk to you.”

Gail nodded in understanding. “I bet you were expecting to see something different. A nest, perhaps?”

“It’s just … so bare. I thought you would have added some items to personalize your room.” Byleth looked around, opening the desk drawer and finding quills and ink pots resting atop parchment. “And full of feathers.”

“I dispose of the feathers I don’t need to make winter cloaks in the forest.”

“Oh.”

“Looks like it’s going to be fighting techniques from Tellius this next week. Then the history of Tellius … and the nations of Tellius … and the laguz …”

“I was hoping I could talk to you about your next class, actually.” Byleth cleared her throat. “I want you to cancel it.”

Gail stared at Byleth in shock, the parchment slipping from her hand. “What?! No, I’m not going to do such a thing. I’m perfectly capable of-”

“I need your help with something that day.” Byleth hastily interrupted the brunette laguz. At Gail’s skeptical look, the mercenary continued, “like … ensuring all the weapons we need for this month’s assignment are all sharpened and ready to go!”

“You’re trying to get me to cancel this because it’s my birthday, aren’t you.”

Byleth nodded sheepishly. “Yeah.”

“Fine, I’ll cancel it. What did you want to do?”

“Can you come by the classroom after classes let out for the day? And you won’t need to come by in the morning.”

“Why don’t you take Luka for the day and send him to find me when you want me to come by instead?” Gail gestured to the raven on his perch next to the open window.

“Yeah, that’d work too. Thanks, Gail.”

“Just … don’t do anything too big. I’m not going to show up if you’re going to make a big deal about it.”

~*~*~

Luka pecked at her scarf as she turned in for the night. With a groan, Gail shooed him away from the gift she had gotten that day. “Don’t lose it, okay?” Taking off the brooch and scarf, Gail neatly folded the blue scarf and set the silver and blue lion brooch on top of the fabric. “Or eat it.”

As she settled in for the night, Gail recalled the day’s events. She had gotten up and avoided the classroom, as per Byleth’s orders. She spent most of the morning studying a new spell, then preened herself until Luka returned. She had several down feathers that were added to her collection. At this rate, she’d have enough to make three cloaks …

The next morning, Gail got to work on those cloaks. She was almost done molting, much to her relief. She didn’t know how much longer she could stand looking like a mess when she transformed!

When lunch came around, Byleth sat next to her. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine.” Gail noticed the concern trying to show on Byleth’s face. “Why, are you concerned that I’m upset?”

“Yes, she is.” Jeralt sat down across from her. “You didn’t show up to class today.”

“Because I have my hands full with a personal project.” Gail stated the truth, plain and simple.

“You’re not wearing the scarf we got you.”

“I didn’t want to ruin it while I’m sewing.”

“... you sew?”

“Yes. Among other things. What, did you think I was a savage bird with no skills but fighting and talking?”

“No, not at all.” Byleth shook her head. “You’re … not what we were expecting.”

“I get that a lot.”

“What are you working on?”

“A cloak. Most beorc would do anything to get their hands on a winter cloak with laguz down. It’s the warmest garment one can get in the cold months of Tellius.”

“Really? I didn’t even think of that. It makes sense, though.” Jeralt nodded in understanding.

“Do these … ‘bay-ork’ poach bird laguz for their down?” A red-head that was almost always around the captain in her spare time joined the conversation. “Or do they just wait for you ‘luh-gyuz’ to make them?

Gail pursed her lips when she asked the first question. “Well, not as much in recent years, but yes, humans dared to hunt us for our feathers. Then … certain events happened and the easiest bird tribe to poach from was wiped out. Demand increased while supply decreased, and the greedy merchants who sold those cloaks started raising prices until only the rich could afford them. Phoenicis stopped trading with them, but the ravens of Kilvas needed anything and everything they could get, so they continued to associate with the merchants.”

An uncomfortable silence fell on the group as Gail continued with her meal as if she had said nothing wrong.

“Why are you making cloaks, then?” Byleth was the first to finally break the silence.

“Habit, I suppose.” Gail shrugged nonchalantly. “It just seems like a waste to let my old down feathers go to waste, and they’re a bit … big for anything else.”

“What else do you do for fun?” Jeralt asked.

“Well, for the past few years, it’s been nothing but fighting, eating, and sleeping. With all this free time, I’ve been trying to get back to … not being a soldier, I guess. It was just … easier to receive and follow orders, know exactly what you needed to do and go for it.” Gail shrugged. “My brother would insist on training every waking, breathing moment of the day for the past … couple decades or so.”

“You’ve been fighting for as long as you can remember, huh?” the red-head frowned.

“Huh? Oh, no, I’m far older than I look. My brother looks like he’s probably 30, but he’s over 100.”

“... Just how old are you, anyway?”

“I stopped counting. Probably somewhere in my 80s or 90s. Laguz age differently than beorc, and live longer. Typically, that is.”

“Why’s that?” Jeralt asked.

“Events that have spanned several decades have reduced the numbers of the bird tribe dramatically. Most recently in the past 23 or so, when … well, it’s nothing that concerns this world.” Gail stood up. “Sorry to bail, but I’ve got a … can you even call this … seminar a class?”

“Depends. What are you talking about?” Byleth inquired.

“Mostly things about Tellius. Fighting techniques, history, geography, things like that.”

Byleth nodded. “I’d call it a class. Good luck with the students.”

“Thanks. Goddess knows, I’ll need it.” Gail entered the classroom she was allowed to use and waited for the interested students to join. She wasn’t surprised to see the three house leaders joining, but the few students from their classes did. The sinister mage that followed Edelgard like a shadow had joined, along with the orange-haired noble. Dedue had come in with Dimitri, and Claude sat next to the red-haired girl close to Jeralt.

Once the students sat down, Gail began her lecture. She quickly learned the other students’ names and decided she’d learn the other students’ names as well. The sinister mage following Edelgard like a shadow was Hubert, and the orange-haired male was Ferdinand Von Aegier, something he proclaimed loudly at the beginning of the lecture. The laguz would have to be hit on the head hard enough to cause amnesia to forget him. The girl who idolized Jeralt was named Leonie and a member of the Golden Deer house.

“Alright, that about covers everything I’ve seen and learned from Tellius. Any questions?” The brunette wasn’t surprised as Dimitri swiftly raised his hand and spoke.

“How do you know so many different styles of fighting from your homeland? Anybody would have to be immersed in combat to know as much detail as you do at your age.”

“I’ve fought in two different wars, three years apart from each other. I suppose you could say that I’m well-versed in fighting. That being said, I’ve no issues with fighting dirty if it means my survival.”

“Even if it means poisoning your enemies?” Claude questioned.

“If it comes down to that, yes. I’d rather fight them in person, talon-to-weapon combat, but if my numbers are smaller than the enemies and we’re aware of it, anything goes in war.”

“Talon-to-weapon?” Hubert mused.

“I’m a hawk laguz, and as such, I transform into a beorc-sized hawk. I could crush someone’s arm with my beak, and my talons are sharper than any beorc weapon.”

“You keep using that word. ‘Bay-ork’. What does it mean?” Leonie finally asked the question that had been on her mind for days.

“A beorc is the proper term for humans, what you are. A laguz is the proper term for what I am, a person with non-human features that can transform into said non-human creature. If you encounter any laguz that calls you ‘human’, it’s not a friendly term. If any beorc calls me ‘sub-human’ … I take great offense to that and consider them my enemy.”

The class fell silent, and Gail took that as her cue to end the lecture. “Alright, then I guess we’re done here. If you have any other questions, come find me. Other than that, I’ll be putting up flyers with the next couple weeks’ schedule on it. Next week is the first half of Tellius’ history, right up to the events that lead to the Serenes Massacre.”

“M-massacre?!” Dimitri’s eyes widened and Gail swore he went paler than usual. “W-what happened?” The other students were astonished by the revelation, faces ranging from horror to disbelief, to curiosity.

“If you come next week, or week after next, you’ll find out.” Gail erased the blackboard from her artistic demonstrations of fighting.

“... What was it like?”

Gail nearly jumped out of her feathers from the sudden question, and the proximity of it. Turning around as she put a hand on her chest reflexively, she sighed in relief. “S-sorry, I’m startled easily. My brother always teased me about it.”

Dedue was standing behind her before she turned around. Dimitri was waiting in the doorway on the opposite side of the room, watching the two converse. The Duscurian man seemed to flush slightly, likely due to embarrassment. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Gail shook her head. “No, it’s fine. As for your question, do you mind explaining? What was what like?”

“The massacre.”

Flames lapped at the sky, black smoke writhing as it choked the citizens of Serenes. The herons had been caught off-guard, and most of them had already suffered from the flames in some way or another. A mother, holding a child’s hand, crouching down as the smoke engulfed their hacking figures. The acrid stench of burning feathers made her gag. Her eyes watered from the smoke, and something else hung in the air: death.

“Haunting. I’m not surprised I still have nightmares about it.”

“You talk about it as if you were there.”

“I was. My brother, his closest allies, and I were the only ones to come to their aid when we heard about it.”

“But it was 24 years ago. You look like you’re 20.”

“Laguz age quite differently than beorc. My brother looks no more than 30 while he’s over 100.”

“...” Dedue’s eyes were wide in surprise.

“I wish I could tell you they get easier over time, but they don’t. If you need someone to talk to about bad memories, I’m usually free. After all I’ve seen and done back home … This world is truly a miracle. I’m sure there’s been internal struggles and wars, but a place where three different countries can peacefully unite and understand the others? I wish something like this could happen in Tellius.”


End file.
